That all changed when the psychology professor spoke for the first time in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Thursday.

"I believed he was going to rape me," the 51-year-old said, her voice breaking as she read her opening statement.

Mr Kavanaugh has denied the allegations from Dr. Ford and other women of sexual misconduct.

The tense hearing was one of the most anticipated televised US senate hearings in modern history.

With all the makings of a Shakespearean tragedy - hurt, guilt, pain, disbelief, outrage and fear – the photographs of Dr. Ford’s address, and Kavanaugh’s response, will surely make their way into history books in years to come.

Scroll through to see all the iconic images from Dr Ford’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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US President Donald Trump has confirmed there will be an FBI investigation into Brett Kavanaugh's alleged sexual assault of Dr Christine Blasey Ford.

"I've ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh's file," Trump said in a statement. "As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week."

The news comes following Ford's emotional testimony last week.

The US Senate will not vote early next week on the Supreme Court nominee, as expected.

Mystery surrounds the envelope given to Dr. Ford's lawyer (pictured above slipping it into his pocket) from Texas Congressman Sheila Jackson Lee (pictured in green).

5 of 17Attribution: Tom Williams/EPA

A picture speaks a thousand words- A tear runs down the cheek of Rep. Carolyn Maloney as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee

6 of 17Attribution: Tracy Russo via Twitter

The case has pulled at the heartstrings of millions of women all around the planet.

Case in point, the choked up tears of US senator Kirsten Gillibrand

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Rachel Mitchell, the chief of the Special Victims Division of the Maricopa County attorney's office in Arizona, prepares to question Dr. Christine Blasey Ford on behalf of Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee

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Christine Blasey Ford confers with Michael R. Bromwich during testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

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Supports of Dr. Ford, who are protesting against against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, gather in New York City